Colombia mudslide kills at least 33 people and injures dozens of others

Mudslide strikes busy municipal road in mountainous area connecting cities of Quibdo and Medellin

The death toll of a mudslide in western Colombia rose to 33, the government said Saturday.

The mudslide struck a busy municipal road on Friday in a mountainous area connecting the cities of Quibdo and Medellin.

The National Disaster Risk Management Unit said initially in a statement that at least 18 people had died. The agency also has said that at least 35 injured people were taken to different hospitals.

The new death toll was reported by Colombian vice president Francia Márquez on the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter. She also tweeted that some of the victims are minors, and that other people remain trapped under the mud. A search operation was ongoing for missing people.

The risk management unit didn’t specify what could have caused the mudslide, but the Defense Department reported Friday night that it has been raining in the area, making it difficult for rescue operations.

A video posted on X apparently showed the moment of the mudslide, when the side of a mountain slid over the highway, covering some cars. The Associated Press couldn’t verify its authenticity.

President Gustavo Petro tweeted Friday that his government would provide all support needed in what he described as a “horrible tragedy."